New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-30
LdUYERS IND CLIENTN.

| This seems to be a suitable time to say a few
| words on the relations Of the Ncw-York bar
10 the administration Of justice in general and
% the Broadway Railroad infamy in particular.
1t is snb Jet, we beg to inform the legal fratcr-
nifty, in which the public is profoundly interest
cd (, a subject which is daily more and more
expressing public discussion; subject upon
| which in the not distant future public opinion
ia likely to find expression in legislative In
ouiry. When 1t first became an Established
circumstance, if not fundamental part OF
| judicial procedure, that the communications
between lawyer and client should be privileged,
sacred and inviolable, the peculiar relations
which now exist between them were not fore
seen. It was rightly determined that the
maintenance of Justice and the security Of tho
social fabric demanded that every individual
should be able to find safe repository for
whatever secrets he might choose to share with
an adviser. It was deemed essential Chat how
ever carelessly he might have consented, or
however flagrantly he might have sought to
violate the law for his own purposes. the frank
recital Of thcfacts to his attorney and counsellor
should not be permitted to put his interests
in jeopardy. But IL was never contemplated
that the time might come when the situation
would be reversed and the lawyer be hired to
devise means by which the law could be safely
violated.
Tho doodle trials have made the fact a little
clearer to tho public mind than ii ever was
before that this has come to be a frequent re-
lation between lawyer and client. 1t is not
necessary to mention names by way OF Illus
tration. If we should make out list from the
court records it might possibly contain The
name of some practitioner whose conscience
docs not reproach him. and that would be most
unfortunate; for it would prove either that we
had made mistake or that the legal conscience
is not so tender as it ought to be. Most OF the
LAWYERS who have accepted the money oil tho
bribers and the bribed arc. we take 1t for
granted, pretty well content with the transac-
ton. II will make their balance at the banker
little larger, their lives little mole luNull-
Gus. and will not we regret to say. as matters
are now ordered in this town. seriously impair
their social rcputc. They have sold their
talents, and in some instances their high moral
itv in an active market. and the proceeds
are n good thing to have. Occasionally they
will feel a twngc OF regret as they recall their
early aspirations occasionally they Will thlnk
with something akin to n blush OF the great
and spotless men who used to be their ideals :
Of Kent and Story of Shaw and Rutedgc and
Curtis. Ard there are some among their breth-
rcn, we rejoice to say. whom fhcy will never
be able to call friends again whose confidence
and companionship in the profession and a,
home they will be forced TO do without. and
whose cold contempt they will from this time
forward endure as best they may Such lawyers
there are. thank Heaven. in this community.
We hope there are many Of them in the Bar
Association. to which We refer the subject for
| further consideration.